The Real Baja

7 things you should know about Baja California

A few interesting points you might want to consider.

Courtesy Visit Mexico

by Jorge Guevara

June 15 2013

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I think it’s kind of ridiculous that Baja is still getting a bad reputation. I can see that there are flaws but what worries me more is that Baja has a ton of stuff to offer that in my opinion outweights all the bad stuff, wich is not that much to begin with. Now, that bad image is still being broadcasted through the media, take The Hangover Part 3 for example, that’s not the real Tijuana.

There’s still a lot of work to do to change this perception people across the world have of Baja, so here’s a little list of things you might want to take into consideration.

1. Baja California creates Jobs.

The Mexico/U.S. border creates an unprecedented number of Jobs on both sides of the border. Imports and exports, according to The Wilson Center, create up to 6 million Jobs in the U.S. alone. On the mexica side of the border, outsourcing from the U.S. is basically one of the biggest economic motor son the border, giving millions of Baja residents a steady and secure job.

Let’s get one thing clear. This is not the wild west. Yes, there was a certain period of time when the northern border of Mexico was suffering through a period of extreme violence. Fortunately that’s not the case anymore, even though the media did a pretty big deal out of this you have to see it for yourself, the citizens of Baja have reclaimed their cities. So stop worring about it.

Putting aside the delicious mexican couisine, the Baja región is starting to get noted more every day because of its wineries and craft beers. The now internationally famous “Wine Route” in the Valley of Guadalupe is a must for anybody that visits Mexico. Local craft beers breweries are also on the rise, making such good beers that San Diego’s local breweries better watch out.

Tijuana is the most visited city in the world. Just ask anybody around the world and they know this place. Not only that but people from all over Mexico reside in this city, making it a very different spot from anywhere else in the country. So many ideas, so many different customs, all of them colliding in a specific place.

Titanic, probably one of the most beloved movies of all time, was filmed in Baja California. 20th Century Fox’s studios are located on the road to Ensenada in a small town called Popotla. Tijuana and Mexicali also have a small but thriving film industry consolidating everyday. People like Barbarella Casting or Makila Project keep pushing the envelope on creating this industry in Baja. Local universities are also pushing on creating that, specially in Mexicali with UABC and in Tijuana with the UDCi.

I can’t even begin to describe the many locations Baja has to offer for tourism. It can be beaches, we have that. Magical towns? We have those to. Aqueological sites? Of course. City nightlife? We have that covered. There is practically anything you want in this state. Also, the scenic route to ensenada is one of the most beautiful sights you’ll have the pleasure of experiencing in your life.

Baja California has a very big cultural scene where artists that go from painters, photographers, fashion designers, writers, musicians perform daily. It could be from the street to very select galleries, but Mexico has something for everybody. The opening of cultural spaces is on the rise, so you might want to check those out when you visit.